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Gavin Hopper, who once coached tennis stars Mark Philippoussis and Monica Seles, was behind bars last night after a jury found him guilty of starting a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

The jury of eight women and four men deliberated for about seven hours over two days before convicting Hopper, 48, on three counts of indecent assault and six counts of gross indecency while the girl was under his care, supervision or authority as a physical education teacher at Wesley College.

The maximum penalty for indecent assault is five years' jail, and the maximum for the gross indecency charges is three years. Hopper was found not guilty of two counts of gross indecency.

The County Court heard that Hopper - who runs a tennis academy on the Gold Coast with former champion Pat Cash - started the affair with the teenager in 1985.

Hopper, of Hope Island, Queensland, remained impassive, with his hands clasped, as the jury foreman read the verdict. His wife, Karen, sobbed after the first guilty verdict was heard.

Outside court, the victim's husband said the case had been "incredibly hard" but that his wife would recover. "That's the whole point of going through this process . . . getting on with life."

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He also thanked the media for raising awareness of the trial, saying new evidence had come forward as a result.

Wesley released a statement saying the school had "great sympathy" for the former student.

"We were deeply distressed for her and her family and we hope that she will now be able to move on and build her life," said principal Dr Helen Drennen, who said the school's duty of care policies were "equal to the best in any school".

Hopper has denied all the charges and said the relationship between himself and the girl was nothing more than a teacher-student relationship.

The woman, now 33, told the court she had a four-year sexual relationship with Hopper that included sex at their homes, his school office and his parked car.

The married teacher told the girl he loved her and promised to leave his wife and move to Queensland with her after she finished school.

In 1988, while Hopper was the fitness adviser for Fitzroy Football Club, he instructed the girl to go out with player Richard Osborne to avoid arousing suspicion.

During the trial, witnesses gave evidence that they saw the pair kissing and embracing, and one former student said she believed she caught them having sex in Hopper's office.

Hopper was also overheard telling a teacher he "couldn't wait till (the girl) was 16 because then she would be legal".

A key piece of evidence against the tennis coach was a love letter that the girl says she received about 1987. Hopper said he wrote the letter to his wife in 1981, and that an "island cooler" he referred to was a drink she liked. He changed his evidence after it was revealed that Island Cooler products were not sold until 1985.

During Hopper's plea hearing, Mrs Hopper gave evidence that her husband was the sole income earner for the family, and said the verdict would have a devastating effect on their two daughters, aged nine and 13.

She said the older daughter Jade - previously ranked the top under-12 player in the world and featured on the ABC's Australian Story in 2002 - was coached by her father for up to five hours a day, and that he was "totally in charge" of her tennis.

"The children won't cope, they won't survive . . . we won't survive without him," Mrs Hopper said. "We never made plans for guilty . . . why make plans for something when he's innocent?"

Prosecutor Andrew Tinney said an immediate custodial sentence was appropriate. "The prisoner used his position of influence and power over her to encourage her into a relationship which he conducted entirely for his own selfish needs."

Judge Graeme Crossley remanded Hopper for sentencing at a later date.

Hopper's lawyer, David Galbally, QC, said his client maintained his innocence and would appeal.